To echo its 29-year on-air tradition, the public radio network’s main Twitter account tweeted out the Declaration of Independence, line by line.

There — in 113 consecutive posts, in 140-character increments — was the text of the treasured founding document of the United States, from its soaring opening to its searing indictments of King George III’s “absolute tyranny” to its very last signature.Who could have taken issue with such a patriotic exercise, done in honor of the nation’s birthday?

Quite a few people, it turned out.

Perhaps it was the Founding Fathers’ capitalization of random words or the sentence fragments into which some of the Declaration’s most recognizable lines were broken. But plenty of Twitter users reacted angrily to the thread, accusing NPR of spamming them — or, worse, trying to push an agenda.

“Seriously, this is the dumbest idea I have ever seen on twitter,” a Twitter user named Darren Mills said after NPR had only gotten as far as the Declaration’s dateline. “Literally no one is going to read 5000 tweets about this trash.”

The blowback increased when the tweets reached the portion of the Declaration that outlined, in unsparing detail, all the ways Britain’s George III had wronged the then-Colonies.

“He has obstructed the administration of justice, by refusing his assent to laws for establishing judiciary powers,” read one line of the document.

“A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people,” read another.

Some people — presumably still in the dark about NPR’s Fourth of July exercise — assumed those lines were references to President Trump and the current administration.

...jesus christ, the responses. NPR is trying to spark a revolution, and this is why it's being defunded. I just cant even.

I don't think it deserves a full thread of it's own, but this is pretty hilarious. Activist at CPAC handed out a 1000-some Russian flags with Trumps name on it, and no one realised what it was and wove them proudly until security caught on.

I heard about NPR tweeting the entire Declaration Of Independence in 140+- character format per tweet and the Alt-Right screaming about how it was insulting and attacking Trump today. I actually had to kneel on the floor crying in laughter about it.

May some deity bless those poor benighted fools, because *I* sure won't. If there was ever a proof of stupidity, that most surely is.

I heard about NPR tweeting the entire Declaration Of Independence in 140+- character format per tweet and the Alt-Right screaming about how it was insulting and attacking Trump today. I actually had to kneel on the floor crying in laughter about it.

May some deity bless those poor benighted fools, because *I* sure won't. If there was ever a proof of stupidity, that most surely is.

This may keep me amused for a week!

Democrats are originally Confederates, in spite of LBJ, in spite of The Southern Strategy. A lot of Republicans are Democrats today ... see Hillary. A lot of Democrats are Republicans today as well.

The South sees the US Civil War as legitimate revolution, per the Declaration of Independence. California wanting to secede? That is Confederate, even if they are dope smoking Democrats. So given the Trump election ... the Democrats have returned to 1861 form ... and intuitively Trump supporters (even the racists) realize that The Resistance is ... Jefferson Davis 2.0. Which was possible because of the Declaration.

Yeah, it was pretty funny. Gotta hand it to diehard nationalists for not being familiar with one of the country's most famous texts. Smh.

Well, THAT is probably the funniest part. It's not that they are nationalists; I'm pretty nation-fond myself. Its that they have no sense of history, famous thoughtful speeches, or events. You show them parts of the Declaration or even the Constitution out of context and they object to half of them.

I mean, Trump thought that as President, he controlled Congress and the Judiciary! He was the US CEO after all...

Well, THAT is probably the funniest part. It's not that they are nationalists; I'm pretty nation-fond myself. Its that they have no sense of history, famous thoughtful speeches, or events. You show them parts of the Declaration or even the Constitution out of context and they object to half of them.

Yeah. Shouting "USA! USA!" while having little/no understanding of US politics or history and no doubt politically opposed to foundational concepts like separation of church and state. Pretty sad.

Trumpists scream "USA, USA" like fans of a sports team. I would be more impressed if the chanted "Democracy, Democracy". At least there are some arguments for that.

I have to smile about Korea on the map. Actually, it IS rather hard to find. Logically, it should be a minor peninsula of China. I keep thinking it is further south than it is. On the other hand I DO know it is north of South Korea, and THAT is easier to pick out on a world map.

Trumpists scream "USA, USA" like fans of a sports team. I would be more impressed if the chanted "Democracy, Democracy". At least there are some arguments for that.

I have to smile about Korea on the map. Actually, it IS rather hard to find. Logically, it should be a minor peninsula of China. I keep thinking it is further south than it is. On the other hand I DO know it is north of South Korea, and THAT is easier to pick out on a world map.

Yes, politics and sports have converged for the beer and recliner population. This is bad for both sports and politics.

No ... this last cycle has turned me against democracy. Death to Athens ... this is Sparta!